A transistor is a device used to switch and/or amplify electrical signals. A transistor has at least three terminals for connection to a circuit, sometimes labeled as a gate, a source, and a drain. Transistors are generally configured such that a current or voltage applied to the gate allows current to flow from the source to the drain. However, as device sizes decrease, various technical issues, such as gate oxide leakage current in semiconductor-based transistors, have limited the performance of semiconductor-based transistors.
Superconductors are materials capable of operating in a superconducting state with zero electrical resistance under particular conditions. Additionally, in some circumstances, superconductors generate heat when transitioning from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state.